For a visit to the gym to bring the most benefits, you need to know what the machines there are for. Here is our guide on machines and types of training!

A gym is a place designed for bodybuilding, strength sports, and cardio training. This is usually a room where you can find all the equipment necessary to conduct a complete workout.

We usually divide gym equipment into three groups: aerobic machines, strength equipment, and accessories in a so-called free weight zone, i.e. barbells and lifting dumbbells. Aerobic exercise equipment, such as a treadmill or stationary bike, helps us burn calories, and we exercise on other machines to increase muscle mass. The first equipment we should use to improve your hand muscles is weight sets. The all in one weight sets helps to tighten your hand muscles. Let’s start.

What gym equipment burns calories?

Remember that each workout session on aerobic equipment should last at least 40 minutes. Burning fat does not start immediately – first, the body warms up, preparing for training.

Treadmill

One of the easiest machines to use in the gym. Depending on the set pace, the tape sliding under your feet allows us to walk or run while improving your body’s efficiency.

The run also strengthens our legs, buttocks, and stomach. On most treadmills, we can also change the incline level, thus imitating a walk or run uphill.

Stationary bicycle

The bicycle should not be difficult for anyone to use. Exercise looks just like riding a regular bike and is low on the joints. Before jumping on the device, it is worth making sure it’s positioning – when sitting on the saddle put the foot on the pedal, the knee should be slightly bent.

Apart from burning fat, training on a bike will help you build up your leg and buttock muscles. What’s more, we can adjust the pace and load to our skills, making driving a leisure or entertainment activity.

stepper

Stepper exercises mainly affect the muscles of the legs and buttocks. The movement is similar to climbing stairs – we put our feet on the pedals and alternately press them to the floor. It sounds like an easy exercise, but 15 minutes of such training is enough to sweat properly.

Rowing machine

Also known as the “oarsman”, the equipment reflects the movement that is made when sailing a boat. The exercise consists of pulling out the rope attached to the machine by alternately bending and straightening the knees. Such training not only burns calories but also strengthens the muscles of the arms, legs, and back.

cross trainer

Movement on an elliptical cross trainer resembles cross-country skiing training or popular Nordic walking – we move our arms and legs at the same time. Exercise does not burden the joints and requires the work of the whole body, so it allows you to strengthen most of the muscle groups in the body, with particular emphasis on the muscles of the legs.

Gym exercise equipment to increase muscle mass

Tummy bench

There may be several varieties of the bench for making crunches, but they all have common features: they are lined with soft material, they have handles to hold the legs and are used to make bends and turns of the torso, which strengthen the abdominal muscles.

Stationary handrail

A stationary handrail is high equipment with handrails located approximately at shoulder height. Leaning your forearms on the handrails, you can lift your legs, thereby exercising your abdominal muscles. The same handrails can be used to strengthen our hands by lifting and lowering body weight.

Butterfly

A machine used for back and chest exercises. I train sitting. We stretch our arms to the side, bend our elbows at an angle of 90 degrees and lean our forearms on the material-lined handles. Then, pressing the material, we move our hands forward.

Leg crane

We practice sitting or lying down on the crane. Straightening the legs, we move the weight set on the crane. In this way, we can train both calf, thigh and buttock muscles.

Shoulder machine

Sitting on the bench, we lift the weighted bars, exercising the shoulder muscles.

Quadriceps and biceps thighs machines

Exercise on this device requires hooking the calves on the weighted rod and lifting it by bending or straightening the knees, depending on whether you train your quadriceps or biceps.

Extract

Hoists are steel ropes attached to rods, which we pull to each other, exercising the muscles of the back, shoulders, and arms. Depending on the intended use for individual muscle groups, we can find upper (on the back, shoulder, and chest) and lower (on the shoulder) muscles.

Horizontal bench press

Equipment imitating weight lifting using barbells. It helps in building muscles of the hands and chest.

Machine for abductors and thigh adductors

Sitting on the machine, we rest the thighs against the material-covered arms of the device and, depending on the setting, we bring the thighs one to the other or move them apart.

How do you get to know a good gym?

Good facilities

Professional equipment is not cheap. It should be remembered that the fitness club is responsible for the health and safety of customers, therefore all the equipment in it must be professional.

Training room organization

If the club is opened to “everyone” there must be space for both cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical cross trainer, bicycles) as well as strength training machines. It will also be necessary to provide space for free weights and a stretching zone.

The presence of trainers

Instructors must watch over the safety and comfort of clients in the club – it is assumed that one instructor is needed for 20 people exercising at the same time. Currently, clubs are forgetting about it, focusing on selling personal training. An instructor should be present at a professional fitness club at all times to provide clients with help and free training advice.

What to take to the gym?

• Sport outfit. For starters, sweatpants, an elastic, necessarily breathable T-shirt or sweatshirt.
• Comfortable sports shoes. There is no question of effective and, above all, safe training in flip flops, ballerinas or sneakers. Gym shoes must have a sufficiently thick and contoured sole and must stick firmly to the leg. Only such shoes guarantee safety and comfort. Over time, it is worth investing in good training shoes that will change the comfort of exercise, especially if you anticipate running on a treadmill.
• Still water bottle. For the body to cope with a lot of effort, it must have fluid intake.
• A towel that you will take with you into the room. In many gyms, due to maximum hygiene, it is mandatory. Then you place it on the equipment before starting the exercises.

Bath accessories. If you are going to a large gym, where you plan to spend more than an hour, you should bring your bath accessories, i.e. shampoo, soap, and a fresh towel. In every such place, there should be showers and a hairdryer, so that after the intense effort you can freely bathe.